Autographic register



Aug. 16, 1960 F. a. DIESBACH AUTOGRAPHIC REGISTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ATTOENEYfi.

Filed May 28, 1958 1960 F. B. DIESBACH .AUTOGRAPHIC REGISTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 28, 1958 A Tram/avg.

2,949,318 AUTOGRAPHIC REGISTER Frederick B. Diesbach, Hamilton, Ohio, assignor to Paul Bennmghofen and F. B. Diesbach, both of Hamilton, Ohio, trustees Filed May 28, 1958, Ser. No. 73$,4ii8 1 Claim. (Cl. 2823) This invention relates to autographic registers and particularly to a portable autographic register of the type exemplified by the disclosures of US. Letters Patent No. 2,536,013 and No. 2,567,305. This type of autographic register is small, and it is used as a sales book to make multiple copies of a sales transaction at the point of sale. The overall dimensions of such a register may be in the neighborhood of four to five inches wide, by one and one-half inches high, by seven to eight inches long, so that it may be carried easily in one hand.

Generally, an autographic register of this type comprises a compartment in which a flat pack of manifolding forms is placed, a writing platen above this compartment over which the forms pass, and some means of aligning the forms and holding them in registry on top of the writing platen while they are being Written upon to record a sale. (See Patent No. 2,536,013.) The register casing may include a storage compartment for record copies of forms located at the back or underside of the register casing. Additionally, a lid is provided at the front or top of the casing, having a large opening in it to provide access to forms which are on the writing platen.

The manifolding forms which are used in these registers require some medium to transfer writing from one form to another and two distinct types have been used in the past. In one, the backs of all of the sets of forms within the pack except the lowermost one are coated with carbon. In the other type, separate sheets of carbon paper are interleaved with the forms at the time the forms are placed in the register. The latter type of transfer medium is preferred, simply because it is considerably less expensive than coated forms. However, it does have the disadvantage that it is messy, tedious and time consuming to initially interleave the carbon papers when a fresh supply of manifolding forms is placed in the autographic register. The stationery capacity of a portable register is very limited compared to non-portable registers, and when sales transactions are frequent the interleaving of the carbon papers becomes a bothersome task not only to the sales person, but to customers who must wait for their sales transactions to be recorded while the autographic register is being refilled.

When individual carbon papers are employed, replenishing the manifolding stationery entails the removal of the lid, which may be hinged, the removal of the writing platen, which also may be hinged to the autographic register casing, and then the placing of a new supply of forms in the compartment. The uppermost set of forms of the pack is then unfolded and the writing platen replaced. The lowermost one of the forms of the unfolded set is then laid on top of the writing platen. At this time, one of the sheets of carbon paper is placed on top of the lowermost form on the writing platen. The second form is then laid in place and the next carbon paper sheet laid in place. In a set of three forms, the top set is then laid in place. At this time the lid may be closed and the autographic register is ready for use. However, some means must be provided to anchor the sheets of carbon tates Patent 2,949,318 Patented Aug. 16, 1960 paper so that they do not shift as forms move past them across the platen; and, equally important some means must be provided to protect the edges of the carbon papers which are exposed to oncoming forms so that they are not torn or displaced by the moving forms. Thus, the initial loading of the autographic register is further complicated by the fact that the carbon papers have to be anchored in place. This, of course, entails additional, time consuming manipulation, adding to the trouble involved in replacing in exhausted packet of forms.

The present invention is specifically directed to the carbon paper problems encountered in the initial loading of an autographic register of the type set forth, and it is the primary objective to provide an autographic register incorporating carbon paper holding means which does not require the interleaving of the individual sheets of carbon paper as has been required by past constructions.

The individual sets of forms in the manifolding stapaper as the forms are fed across the platen. In the past,

the carbon paper holding means have also served as carbon paper protectors. In large autographie registers this problem is acute and in most cases the edges of the carbon paper are engaged between protective sheets of silk or other thin sheet material to prevent perforations in the forms from tearing the carbon papers. In the portable type of autographic register to which the present invention is applicable, protectors have been found to be necessary in the past, but the problem is not as acute as in large autographic registers, because the carbon paper is changed with each new packet. One system of providing both a carbon paper holding means and a form of protection has comprised the use of thin strips of metal about which the edge of a sheet of carbon paper toward oncoming forms is folded. The strips of metal, being longer than the width of the carbon paper sheet, provides two projections at the opposite side edges of the sheet which can be engaged in notches or the equivalent in the autographic register casing which serve as a means to anchor the carbon papers in place. The doubled over edge of the carbon paper thus exposed to oncoming forms is not as apt to tear as an exposed free edge. However, the dou bling over of the carbon paper and the engagement of the doubled over edge with a metal strip and then the engagement of the strip with the holding means has added a relatively stifl material already affixed to the critical edge and in this way save the operator the time of folding and engaging the carbon paper in order to protect it and to anchor it in place. But the latter system has added considerably to the cost of carbon paper and it still entails the interleaving during reloading.

With these problems in mind it is another objective of the invention to provide an autographic register incorporating carbon paper anchoring means which automatically places a lateral tension upon the carbon paper during the closing of the lid, which tension pulls the edges of the carbon paper exposed to oncoming forms taut to an extent that they do not become fouled by the lines of perforations in the forms and are not torn by such lines of perforations.

Another objective of the invention is to provide an auto graphic register which may be used in conjunction with packets of manifolding stationery of the type disclosed in copending patent application Serial No. 738,489, filed May 28, 8, which packet consists of a stack'of manifolding stationery forms which are folded in zig-zag fash- I ion and which incorporate sheets of carbon paper interleaved in the uppermost set of forms. These interleaved sheets of carbon paper are substantially wider than the set of forms in which they are engaged, which leaves wide margins of'carbonpaper exposed at the two sides of the stack of forms. When placed in the'present register, during loading, the exposed edges of carbon paper are clamped by components of the register case and they are clamped insuoh a way that the edges of the carbon paper toward oncoming forms are pulled taut, and held taut until it is necessary to reopen the register for reloading.

It may be seen, therefore, that the reloading of the present register is substantially simplified over past constructions, because it is not'necessary to make special provisions to hold the interleaved sheets of carbon paper in place, nor is it necessary to go to the trouble of actually interleaving the carbon papers, because'they are already in place andthey are locked in position by the mere act of closing the lid of the register.

Other objectives and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of an autographic register incorporating the principles of the invention, parts of the register being broken away to illustrate construction details.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the register with parts broken away to illustrate details of construction.

Figure 3 is an elevational view of the discharge end of the register.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1, in this view the lid being shown partially closed.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 showing the lid completely closed.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic perspective view showing a packet of forms which the register is adapted to hold.

'A casing for the register is indicated generally by the numeral 10. This casing is rectangular in form and roughly the size of a book so that it may be carried readily in one hand. The casing comprises a base section 11 and atop or lid section 12. which are connected together by a piano hinge 13 at one end of the register which, for the purposes of this disclosure, is referred to 'as the front" end, the opposite end being referred to as the discharge end. Both the lid and the base sections of the casing are box-like in construction, the latter section including a rectangular bottom panel 14, upstanding side Walls 15--15, and upstanding end walls 1616. The lid section consists of a top panel 17, end Walls 18- 18, and side walls 19-49. As shown, the lid and the base sections are substantially the same size, and they enclose a writing platen assembly indicated generally at 20. The lid section has a substantially large rectangular opening 21 in it to provide access to the writing platen, and, in addition, it has two openings 22 and 23 to accommodate-arrestiug pins designated 24- and 25 respectively. The lid also may have two small slots 26--26 in it to en-' gage two upstanding guides 2727 for the forms.

The arresting pins are the subject of US. Patent No. 2,536,013 and they cooperate with apertures 28 -28 provided in each set of manifolding forms of a packet of such forms indicated generally by the numeral 29 in Fig ure 7. The packet of forms fits into the bottom'section of the register beneath the writing platen. Following conventional practices the forms pass from the compartment over the forward edge of the writing platen and then'over the upper surface of the writing platen toward the discharge end of the register. While on the writing platen the forms in a set are held in position by means of the arresting pins. In the particular type of porta'ble auto graphic register shown, the forms are initially advanced by means of a writing instrument, such as a pencil, which the operator presses down on the arresting pin designated 25, the pin being retractable and connected to pin 24 so that it too retracts. Thus, the point of the writing instrument passes through the apertures in the set of forms upon the writing platen. The operator then pushes the forms toward the discharge end of the register so that the leading edges of the forms extend through a discharge slot 30 where they may be grasped by the operator and pulled from the register. As disclosed in Patent No. 2,536,013 the pulling of a set of forms from the register brings a fresh set onto the writing platen, the movement of the fresh set of forms being arrested by the pins 24 and 25. When in this position, the perforated lines defining individual sets of forms Within the packet are at the discharge slot so that the exposed edge 31, defining the upper side of slot 30, is immediately above them. Thus, the used set of forms may be torn from the set on the writing platen using the edge 31 as a tear-off knife.

In the register shown, the arresting pins and the mechanism mounting these pins are mounted upon a bracket which is adjacent to the discharge end of the register. The bracket which is designated generally 32, includes an upstanding wall 33 which extends across the base section from one side wall 15 to the opposite side wall 15 and providing a wall for one end of the form storage compartment.

Side Walls 3434 are provided at the opposite ends of the mount bracket 32, these walls being turned over at right angles to the wall 33 toward the discharge end of the register. In order to strengthen the assembly and to provide a means to secure the bracket to the register casing, a base flange 35 may be provided which is turned toward the discharge end of the register from the lower edge of Wall 33. This base flange may be riveted as shown at 3636 to the bottom panel 14.

The two side walls 3434 of bracket 32 provide a means of pivotally mounting the writing platen. In the instance shown, the end of the Writing platen toward the discharge slot has two tabs 37, only one of which is shown, which depend from opposite sides of the platen parallel to the walls 34+34 of the bracket and which are pivotally connected thereto by means such as bolts or machine screws 38. As viewed in Figure 2, therefore, the lid section of the register is adapted to swing open in a counterclockwise direction around the pin of piano hinge 18, whereas the writing platen is adapted to swing open (after the lid has been opened) in a clockwise direction around the pivotal axis provided by bolts 38. This exposes to view the compartment inside of the base section in which the packet of unused manifold forms is stored. See Figures 5 and 6.

The packet of forms which the register is adapted to receive are folded in Zig-zag fashion following conventional practices and in this case each set includes three sheets so that an original and two copies of a sales transaction may be made. The packet of forms illustrated is unique in that the uppermost set of forms has two sheets of carbon paper 39 and 40 interleaved between the three forms making up the set. These sheets of carbon paper are substantially wider than the manifolding forms to expose two marginal edges 41-41 of carbon paper at the sides of the packet of forms. The sheets of carbon paper are held in place so that they do not slide from side to'side by folding the marginal edges 41--41 down along the appropriate sides of the packet of forms. The sheets of carbonpaper are prevented from shifting lengthwise of the set of forms by the fold line 42 where the second set of forms joins the uppermost set and by means which fasten the three sheets of paper of the uppermost set together adjacent to the apertures in the set of forms. In theinstance shown, the'sheets are fastened together by a device known as a Paper Welder" one form of this paper welder being shown in US. Patent No. 2,188,222. The

three sheets of paper are simply crimped together so that the paper fibers become interentangled to an extent to hold the three sheets together temporarily, but not to an extent to prevent their separation by the operator without tearing. Obviously, other means may be used to hold the three sheets of paper together such as staples, glue, spots of pressure sensitive adhesive etc.

The register of this invention is designed to cooperate with the exposed marginal edges 41-41 of the sheets of carbon paper to hold the carbon paper in place so that the forms may be pulled past them. In this way the two sheets of carbon paper may be used for all of the sets of forms in the packet and when the packet is exhausted the sheets of carbon paper may be thrown away and replaced with fresh sheets which are provided in the new packet.

In the initial loading of the autographic register the lid is opened and then the writing platen is elevated to expose the storage compartment. The writing platen stops at a point just over center from the vertical by engagement of the exposed edge 43-43 of depending tabs 37-37 with the edge 44 which is at the top of the end wall 16 of the bottom section at the discharge end of the register. With the lid and platen open, the set of forms is placed in the storage compartment and it is held in centered relation to the side walls 15-15 of the base section of the casing by tabs 45-45 which are turned inwardly and then downwardly as shown in Figures 4 and 5 from the lower ends of spring members 46-46. These spring members will be described at a later point. There are four of them and they are arranged in two sets of two which are spaced longitudinally of the bottom section of the casing.

Referring to Figure 2, it will be seen that a slot 47 is cut through bottom panel 14. This slot is just forward of the wall 33 of bracket 32 and it extends from one side of the bottom panel to the other. When the register is turned upside down to provide access to the slot 47 the packet of unused forms falls away from the bottom panel 14 and provides a compartment for record forms, which usually is the third copy. This form may be slipped into the compartment through slot 47 where it resides underneath the unused forms. A hinged flap may be used at the slot 47 to insure that the record forms do not come out of the compartment during the handling of the register.

The forward end of the writing platen includes two legs 48 which, when the platen is closed, contact the bottom panel 14 of the bottom section to support the platen. The forward end of the writing platen also mounts a glide roller 49 which is journalled between the two legs 48. This roller is an antifriction device and the forms pass around it and onto the writing platen from the storage compartment. Thus, in loading the forms, the packet is first placed in the storage compartment, the uppermost set of forms is folded out, and then the writing platen is swung down into place. The uppermost set of forms is then placed on top of the writing platen and the apertures in the forms are engaged over the arresting pins 24 and 25.

At this time the lid is still open and, as may be seen in Figure 5, the two marginal edges 41-41 of the sheets of cabron paper hang down along side of depending skirts 50-50 which are formed as integral parts of the writing platen, being turned down at right angles from its opposite side edges. As may best be seen from Figure 2, the depending skirts 50-50 are cut out as at 51 to provide clearance for the four leaf springs 46. In each instance, the leaf spring includes a straight body section 52, the lower end of which is turned over to provide the foot 45. The straight section of each leaf spring is secured to a side wall 15 of the bottom section by means such as a rivet. The leaf spring projects above side wall 15 and its upper end is bent out and then back 6 i to provide a generally rounded, convex surface 54 which is contacted by the lowermost sheet of carbon paper. With the lid open the rounded surface 54 of the leaf spring slightly overhangs side wall 15. However, when the lid is lowered into place over the writing platen the lower edges 55 of the two side walls 19-19 come into contact with the exposed marginal edges of the carbon paper and the exposed edges are literally wiped down across the exposed leaf springs, the carbon paper being tensioned laterally during this wiping action. the lid is closed all of the way, the leaf springs are bent in so that they exert an outward force securely. grip-ping the marginal edges of the carbon paper and, anchoring the carbon paper in place between the leaf' springs and the inner surface of the side walls 19-19 of the lid. To insure that the springs do not become caught by the lid when it is being closed the upper end of each spring above the outer rounded surface 54 is configurated to provide a nose 56 which is angulated to terminate to the inside of the lower edge 55 of the side wall 19. i

It is preferred that one of the two sets of leaf springs 46 be located opposite one another adjacent to the forward end of the writing platen. The other set may be located nearer the arresting pins.

It can be appreciated that the closing of the lid first brings the edges 55-55 into contact with the exposed.

marginal areas of the carbon paper adjacent to the roller end or forward end of the platen, so that the edges are progressively folded downduring the closing movement of the lid. There is a very decided advantage in the" progressive folding action, because it tensions the carbon papers, pulling them to the sides in their forward areas and stretching taut the edges which are exposed to oncoming forms. As the closing movement of the lid progresses from the forward end of the writing platen toward the discharge end, the tensioning action moves progressively toward the discharge end until the carbon papers are caught between the next set of springs and the walls 19-19 of the lid. The final closing movement of the lid tensions and smooths the carbon papers throughout their length, anchoring them in place so that they cannot shift as the forms are fed past them, nor shift as the forms as being written upon by the operator.

A latch is provided to hold the cover in closed position. This latch is located at the discharge end of the register immediately below the discharge slot 30 and it consists of a movable bolt indicated generally by the numeral 57 and a stationary keeper 58. The keeper may be a large headed rivet, as shown, which is fixed to the end wall 19 of the lid section. The bolt 57 comprises a plate having a transverse slot 59 through it. A large headed machine screw or rivet 65 may be provided which is engaged through slot 59 and which serves to hold the plate-like bolt in sliding engagement with the end wall 11 of the bottom section. The end wall 11 also has a slot 60 cut in it and a large headed lug 61 passes through the slot and into engagement with the bolt. The part of the lug outside of slot 60 provides a thumb piece by which the bolt may be slid back and forth. Referring to Figure 4 it may be seen that when the lid is in locked condition, the keeper 58 is engaged by a hook 62 which is formed as an integral part of the plate comprising bolt 57. A coil spring 63 normally maintains the plate 57 in hook engaging position, one end of the spring being fastened to the plate and the opposite end being fastened to the register casing. A cam surface 64 is also formed on the plate, this cam surface angulating upwardly from the hook 62 so that when the bolt is slid toward the right as shown in Figure 4 the hook is first disengaged from the keeper and then the keeper is cammed up, riding on the surface 64 to force the lid partially open. This type of lock operation is preferred, because it makes it much easier to open the lid. The lid is frictionally engaged with the exposed When 7. marginal edges of the carbon paper and the initial'opening force must overcome this frictional engagement.

The operation of the autographic register will now be described starting at a time when the last set of forms in a packet is being written upon. After the sales transaction is recorded, the operator uses his pencil to depress the pin 25 of the two arresting pins. This movement engages the pencil in the apertures of the set of forms. Then, by pushing the pencil toward the discharge end, enough of the forms is exposed so that they can be grasped and, pulled from the register. The record copy may be inserted into the slot 47 in the bottom of the register if desired. When the last set of forms is pulled from the register the carbon paper may be seen through the opening 21 in the lid. At this time the operator releases the latch at the discharge end of the machine which also partly raises the lid. The lid then may be opened fully which releases the used carbon papers, and they'may be thrown away. The platen then may be raised to expose the storage compartment, a fresh set of forms placed in the compartment, the uppermost set of forms (which is the set carrying the carbon paper) may be engaged over the arresting pins, the lid then closed. This is all that is required in order to renew the supply of forms. The mere act of closing the lid not only anchors the two carbon papers in place, but it smooths them and tensions them so that they cannot become caught on oncoming forms and tear.

Having described my invention, I claim:

A portable autographic register for manifolding stationery of the type comprising a plurality of sets of forms folded in zig-zag fashion to provide a packet, the upper most set of forms only of the packet having sheets of carbon paper interleaved therewith, said sheets of carbon paper being wider than the forms to provide substantially wide marginal edges which project beyond the sides of the forms, said register comprising a casing, a writing platen in said casing which is substantially no Wider than said forms upon which the uppermost set of forms in the packet is placed upon the loading of the register, whereby the marginal edges of the sheets of carbon paper project beyond the sides of the writing platen, said platen being spaced above the bottom of the casing to provide a storcompartment onto the platen, a lid hinged to the forward end of the casing, saidlid having'side Walls which project down along the sides of the writing platen when the lid is closed, two sets of leaf springs, the leaf springs of one set being disposed at opposite sides of the platen below said projecting marginal edges of carbon paper and at the ends of said sheets ofcarbon paper which are exposed to oncoming forms moving from the storage compartment onto the Writing platen, the leaf springs of the other set being disposed at opposite sides of the writing platen below said projecting marginal edges of carbon paper but within the half of the writing platen which is spaced from the end thereof toward oncoming forms, said leaf springs projecting beyond the sides of the casing when the lid is open, whereby upon the closingof the lid the side walls thereof swing down and wipe the marginal edges of the carbon paperat the ends thereof toward oncoming forms down over the first set ofleaf springs while pushing the springs inwardly, thereby initially tensioning the ends of said sheets of carbon paper toward oncoming forms, and thereafter wiping the marginal edges of the carbon paper down over the second; set of springs to tension the carbon paper in the areas thereof between the second set of leaf springs, said springs having portions extending into said storage compartment, said portions being configured to provide positioning means for stationery within said compartment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 674,566 Sherek et a1. May 21, 1901 699,075 Case Apr. 29, 1902 1,472,559 Fulfs Oct. 30, 1923 1,966,142 Schroeder July 10, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS 27,413 Great Britain Dec. 17, 1908v 

